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Full Speed Ahead on Engagement with Syria?

(Foreign Policy) Jamie M. Fly - During her confirmation hearings in January 2009, Secretary of State Clinton said that she and President Obama: "Believe that engaging directly with Syria increases the possibility of making progress on changing Syrian behavior. In these talks, we should insist on our core demands: cooperation in stabilizing Iraq; ending support for terrorist groups; cooperation with the IAEA; stopping the flow of weapons to Hizbullah; and respect for Lebanon's sovereignty and independence." Yet, now, more than a year later, after repeated U.S. attempts to engage Damascus, it is difficult to see how progress has been made on any of these areas. The Obama administration followed up a year of Syrian inaction by nominating a new U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford. Our last ambassador was recalled in February 2005 following the assassination, apparently with Syrian involvement, of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. There is a reason that the Senate entered its two-week Passover/Easter recess without acting on Ford's nomination. A number of senators are rightfully concerned about the message returning an ambassador to Damascus sends to the Syrian regime. The unfortunate fact is that Syria is engaged in international terrorism, is counteracting our efforts to stabilize Iraq, is deepening ties with Iran as it continues its illicit nuclear program, and is stonewalling an investigation into its own efforts to go nuclear.
2010-04-08 08:15:00
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